Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure
Last updated 10 Nov 2023
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Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is an inherited disease that affects muscles used for movement (skeletal muscles) and muscles that are needed for breathing (respiratory muscles).
Description
Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is an inherited disease that affects muscles used for movement (skeletal muscles) and muscles that are needed for breathing (respiratory muscles).
The major signs and symptoms of HMERF usually appear in adulthood, often in the mid-thirties. Among the earliest signs of the condition are breathing problems and difficulty walking. Weakness of the respiratory muscles, particularly the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the organs in the abdomen from those in the chest), causes breathing problems. This weakness worsens over time and can lead to life-threatening respiratory failure. Some affected individuals have weakness of muscles of the lower leg and foot, which makes it difficult to lift the toes while walking, a condition known as foot drop. Other muscles that become weak in people with HMERF include those of the hips, thighs, upper arms, and neck.
When viewed under a microscope, muscle fibers from affected individuals contain abnormal structures called cytoplasmic bodies. In many cases, the cytoplasmic bodies are arranged side-by-side in a ring inside the muscle fiber, resembling a necklace (necklace cytoplasmic bodies).
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal dominant. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
Edstrom myopathy
HMERF
Myopathy, proximal, with early respiratory muscle involvement
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Further reading and references
- Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Hedberg C, Toledo AG, Gustafsson CM, Larson G, Oldfors A, Macao B. Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure is associated with misfolding of the titin fibronectin III 119 subdomain. Neuromuscul Disord. 2014 May;24(5):373-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2014.02.003. Epub 2014 Feb 15.
- Palmio J, Evila A, Chapon F, Tasca G, Xiang F, Bradvik B, Eymard B, Echaniz-Laguna A, Laporte J, Karppa M, Mahjneh I, Quinlivan R, Laforet P, Damian M, Berardo A, Taratuto AL, Bueri JA, Tommiska J, Raivio T, Tuerk M, Golitz P, Chevessier F, Sewry C, Norwood F, Hedberg C, Schroder R, Edstrom L, Oldfors A, Hackman P, Udd B. Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure: occurrence in various populations. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014 Mar;85(3):345-53. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2013-304965. Epub 2013 Apr 19.
- Tasca G, Mirabella M, Broccolini A, Monforte M, Sabatelli M, Biscione GL, Piluso G, Gualandi F, Tonali PA, Udd B, Ricci E. An Italian case of hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) not associated with the titin kinase domain R279W mutation. Neuromuscul Disord. 2010 Nov;20(11):730-4. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2010.07.269. Epub 2010 Aug 13.
- Tasca G, Udd B. Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF): Still rare, but common enough. Neuromuscul Disord. 2018 Mar;28(3):268-276. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2017.12.002. Epub 2017 Dec 12.
- Toro C, Olive M, Dalakas MC, Sivakumar K, Bilbao JM, Tyndel F, Vidal N, Farrero E, Sambuughin N, Goldfarb LG. Exome sequencing identifies titin mutations causing hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) in families of diverse ethnic origins. BMC Neurol. 2013 Mar 20;13:29. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-13-29.
- Uruha A, Hayashi YK, Oya Y, Mori-Yoshimura M, Kanai M, Murata M, Kawamura M, Ogata K, Matsumura T, Suzuki S, Takahashi Y, Kondo T, Kawarabayashi T, Ishii Y, Kokubun N, Yokoi S, Yasuda R, Kira J, Mitsuhashi S, Noguchi S, Nonaka I, Nishino I. Necklace cytoplasmic bodies in hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 May;86(5):483-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-309009. Epub 2014 Sep 24.
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